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Thirteen hesitantly followed the Mandalorian and the shock trooper back into the common house. The waitress tasked with watching Thirteen and the child melted with apparent relief as they walked back through the entrance. The operative retook her seat at the table, which was unfortunately right next to the seat the rebel chose.
Dark eyes fixed on hers with a gaze that made Thirteen want to shrink into herself. The sniper did not often feel small, but meeting people from the other side of the war always made something close to guilt stir in the pit of her stomach. She remained silent as the Mandalorian pressed the trooper, who they'd learned was named Cara Dune, about her past.
"Saw most of my action mopping up after Endor," the brunette began. Thirteen gave an almost indiscernible sigh, fingers curling around the bowl of bone broth. The Mandalorian's helmet tilted in her direction- she figured she wasn't the only person who could read people well. "Mostly Ex-Imperial Warlords. They wanted it fast and quiet. They'd send us in on the dropships. No support, just us. Then when the Imps were gone, the politics started. We were peacekeepers, protecting delegates, suppressing riots." Cara smirked into her bowl. "Not what I signed up for."
"How'd you end up here?" The Mandalorian asked, making Cara hesitate slightly.
"Let's just call it an early retirement." She turned her warm eyes on the assassin. "You've been awfully quiet. What's your name?" Thirteen exchanged a quick look with the Mandalorian.
"Teresa." The lie slipped off her tongue easily, and the sniper gave her a look that effectively conveyed the fact that she wasn't up for a conversation. Cara took the cue and downed the rest of her broth.
"Well, this has been a real treat. But unless you wanna go another round, one of us is gonna have to move on, and I was here first." The shock trooper pushed back from her seat and sauntered off, leaving a bemused Thirteen to turn to look at the Mandalorian.
"Looks like this planet's taken," he mused.
"Finders, keepers," Thirteen retorted with a weak attempt at a smile. She felt like the life had been drained out of her. With every year since the fall of the Empire, every new planet she'd traveled to, she'd seen more of its repercussions. She'd wondered how much of the negative she'd personally contributed to.
"Thirteen."
"Hm?" She looked up from her bone broth to find the Mandalorian's gaze fixated on her. He was silent for a moment.
"...Time to go."
The walk back to the Razor Crest was uncomfortably silent. The child had gotten tired of walking and batted his hands at the back of Thirteen's legs until she picked him up. The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, painting the sky in a blaze of gold and blue as they made their way under the canopy of the trees.
